


Desert Nights

by ChibiSailorMini



Category: The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Genre: Each chapter will be set during different points of the movie, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 04:05:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8829832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiSailorMini/pseuds/ChibiSailorMini
Summary: It was always hard to find relief while working in the Desert heat. Being a slave made life hard and it was unbearable most of the time, but in the midst of his dreary life seemingly full of nothing but sadness, anger, and darkness, Aaron meets a woman who isn't like anyone else.Layla is a servant girl to Queen Tuya, raised to serve the royal family without question, but one day as she is running an errand for the Queen, she has a run in with Aaron. And each time they see each other, both servant and slave grow fonder of each other. She was always told by her sister, Nailah, not to associate with the Hebrew slaves, but something about Aaron always drew her to him. He was always on guard, worrying about his big sister and keeping him and Miriam safe, but when he meets Layla, Aaron soon learns that sometimes it's ok to take a risk, especially when you're in love. But Layla and Aaron were as different as night and day. Both are stubborn to admit their growing attraction to each other. One tries denying the attraction for fear of their safety while the other is ready to risk everything for them to be together.





	1. Do You Remember?

They laid there in the warmth of the rushes and the grass. It was a cool night, compared to the sweltering heat of day. But even though he had been working in the hot desert all day, the night felt alarmingly cold to him, making him shiver involuntarily. Her head rested under his chin, her ear laying directly over where his heart was beating from his ribcage. Long black hair that was as soft as silk and skin the color of bronze, it was no wonder she sweet talked him into sneaking out all the way to the Nile despite all the risks they were taking. Sneaking out at night when the slaves were supposed to be resting up for the long day tomorrow and avoiding the occasional Egyptian guards that would be on patrol.

It was the warmth of her body that reminded him that everything would be fine. His messy brown hair which she would often call a permanent bed head hung about his face. He was just glad his hair didn't obscure his view of the starry sky. It was her who got him into staring at the sky and silently believing the promise his God -- his people's God would keep his promise and set them all free. So far, Aaron felt he had been blessed to have met the woman he held in his arms.

Feeling her shifting beside him, he glanced down. Aaron saw her eyes open. Her lips curled up in a soft smile. 

"Did I drift off for a bit?" She asked quietly. All he could do was smile weakly. 

"For a bit." The man replied. Gods, her smile! Why did she have to be so damned charming and beautiful? He bit back that last word surfacing in his mind. He was stubborn about admitting this girl in his arms was beautiful. He allowed himself to admit she has a strange charisma to her. The way she could soothe his fears of being caught by the guards with a soft touch to his shoulder or speak to him so freely, her words lifting his spirits. She was just a bit like his sister in being comforting and kind, but unlike Miriam, Layla knew when to take risks and when not to.

She giggled lightly and closed her eyes, her arms going tighter around his waist. "If only we could stay right here in this moment forever."

Aaron finally allowed himself to smile and nodded in agreement, letting his arms go around her small frame and draw her closer to his body. They laid in a peaceful silence, enjoying each other's company until...

"Aaron." Her voice was soft, barely a whisper. 

"Layla." Aaron responded by shifting his lower body a bit for a more comfortable position.

"Your heart's beating fast." Layla murmured. The palace girl lifted her head to look at him and smiled. He nearly shivered at feeling her small hand touching his bare chest. 

Of all the days not to wear a shirt under his vest!

She giggled at feeling him squirm from her hand. That simple touch wasn't exactly intimate, but was enough to anyone who could have been watching (if it were day) to speak ill of such a young couple touching each other in this manner without being married. It wouldn't be blasphemous, but his Faith called for a couple to be married before any acts of intimacy can be carried out. 

Aaron merely smiled at hearing her chuckle. When she went to touch his chest again with the palm of her hand, he grabbed her wrist to stop her. Usually he would get annoyed by her flirting with him and they would have a little disagreement but by this time tomorrow night, he would need her call and everything would be forgotten. But tonight, tonight felt different. He felt different. 

Instead of releasing her hand and walking off, Aaron brought Layla's hand to his lips, planting a kiss on the palm with a smile. It was his turn to make her heart race. And it did. From where his thumb touched her wrist, he felt the soft throbbing of her pulse. It made his own heart flutter a bit but he accomplished what he wanted to do. 

Her smile grew and she sat up. Leaning over him now, Layla leaned in closer. Their lips met in a gentle kiss. At first it was just her mouth barely touching his s in the promise of one, but when their gazes locked, she pressed her lips into his. 

Aaron felt his heart stopping, his body tensing slightly. Since when did Layla plan this out? Or was it God's will? He didn't know. All the slave knew was that his heart felt lighter all of a sudden and he felt... Happy? Joy? He didn't know the words to describe his feelings. Happiness was just one word of many. 

She finally pulled out of the kiss, but remained in his embrace. Her smile remained on her lips. "I bet you'll remember that." Her teasing tone made him chuckle out loud, but not too loud. There could be guards around.

He just shrugged a bit. "M-maybe." 

Of course he'll remember that. It was one of many kisses that she's been stealing since they were teenagers. Layla raised an eyebrow at his words, but she still smiled. Her hand reached out and touched the side of his face, her fingers gently fingering the scruffy beard around his chin.

"You need a trim." She teased him about trimming his beard constantly. But it was just a playful gesture. He knew better. A long time ago, he would get mad over her playful joke but now he's grown accustomed to it. Her smile suddenly disappeared as she stared at him. 

Her stare was a bit unnerving, as if something was troubling her. 

"Layla?" Aaron said in question. The palace servant looked at him.

"Mmm?" She sighed in response.

"Is there something wrong?" Concern laced his soft voice as he studied her face. She didn't seem bothered by any thing, but when her eyes narrowed slightly and her small nose scrunched a bit, he could tell something was wrong.

"Remember when we met?" She asked, her tone a bit sorrowful.

He nodded. Of course he did. 

"Mm, yes. It was about 20 years ago." Aaron said softly after a few minutes of silence.

Layla nodded as well, her smile returning a bit. "You remember how we met, don't you? It was here in this exact spot..."

Just as she said that, Aaron felt the memories returning to him, what felt like an entire lifetime they spent together rose to the surface. He could remember it like it was yesterday...


	2. First Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And they met on the bank of the Nile River.

"Layla! Hurry up!" The voice called out to an four and a half year old girl, her long black hair held in a single braid and her white cotton gown with tinges of gold and blue on the collar and straps, leaning down near the water. The little girl had her eyes narrowed, as she held a jar in her small hands. She stared deeply at the water, watching as some of the small fish swam among the reeds. She failed to hear the voice calling for her.

"Layla?"

The fish swam this way and that, some chased the little bugs that skirted on the surface. She was always a curious child. Perhaps a little too curious. She always had a question to ask. Feeling intrigued by the school of fish in the water, she placed the jar on the riverbank beside her. She let her small hands linger just above the surface of the water. It surprised her that her shadow didn't scare the fish away. But then again, fish weren't always the brightest aquatic creatures, at least not like crocodiles that lived in the deepest parts of the Nile.

She stayed there, crouched low, with all of her attention focused on the fish in the water. She waited and when the fish drew closer, she struck. Her hand made a loud splash as she made a grab for the small blue fish. A frown tugged at her lips as she failed to catch the fish. She swore she felt the smooth scales of the fish touch her fingers, but it wasn't meant to be.

She held her hand out again, prepared to try again. As she glared at the water in determination, waiting for the next fish to come close, Layla failed to hear the approaching footsteps.

A boy about her age stood a few feet behind her, watching her curiously with his brown eyes. His hair was wild and curly, untamable, not that a Hebrew slave needed to worry about maintaining their appearances unlike the Egyptian Masters. He had been gathering some rushes along the river bank with his sister and mother when he noticed the strange Egyptian girl standing at the water's edge, her hand held over the surface of the water.

He wasn't sure if this was an Egyptian custom or not but he found some amusement from watching the girl trying to catch the fish. He almost laughed as the girl swiped at the water, failing yet again. To his surprise, she held her hand over the water once more. Either the girl was extremely bored or she was just really determined to catch a fish. From his experience, one would use a spear or a net to catch the slippery devils.

When the girl failed a third time and slipped into the water, he couldn't help the laughter bubbling in his throat.

Layla shrieked as her third failed attempt landed her in the water. Luckily, this part of the Nile was shallow, but she couldn't help getting angry at herself and annoyed by the Hebrew boy clutching his sides, laughing hard. She glared at the boy as she climbed back up the bank.

"What are you laughing at? I don't see you trying to catch a fish!" She fumed with a pout. The boy immediately clamped his mouth shut with his hands. His mother had often told him not to laugh at the misfortune of others lest karma gets him. If his sister saw him laughing at this girl, she would smack his head.

The boy shook his head furiously, suddenly remembering he had been watching an Egyptian child, not another slave like him. All of her anger seemed to disappear at seeing the fear in his brown eyes. She then tilted her head.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

The boy just shook his head again, taking a step back.

"Aaron!"

He immediately heard his mother's voice calling for him somewhere down the riverbank and he took off running with the bulrushes he had been picking.

She watched the boy go, watching as a tall slave woman with dark brown hair and gentle tired eyes and a girl, possibly a bit older than him, greeted him. She could only guess they were his family. As she watched the mother embrace her children, she noticed the girl carrying a basket while the mother held a strange bundle in her arms. Layla thought she heard the sound of a crying baby, but she couldn't stay and listen as someone called for her as well.

"Layla!'

The girl looked over her shoulder and she saw teen girl, about fifteen years, standing just up the hill. The teen girl's jet black hair was held back by a golden band with strips of blue on it. Just like Layla, the girl had black eyes that seemed to be clouded over with annoyance.

The teen finally took notice of her and Layla heard her with as she walked over. "Layla, I swear I need two more of me just to keep with you." The sixteen year old shook her head. Upon grabbing her hand, her eyes narrowed and she noticed the mud on Layla's dress. "How come you're wet and dirty?"

Layla giggled with a smile and pointed one of her hands at the river. "I wanted to catch some fish, sister!"

Nailah just sighed, unable to keep herself from smiling. She picked the little girl up and hugged her to her shoulder. "Now I'm going to have give you a bath before we meet the Queen."

Layla just giggled again and hugged her sister's neck as she was carried off in the direction of the Palace. She could see the messy haired boy following after his mother in the distance, him looking back her and her sister twice before they disappeared into the tall rushes.


End file.
